City's leader quits over code of conduct breach

The man responsible for transforming Liverpool's image from an inefficient local authority to the 2008 European Capital of Culture has resigned as leader of the city council, it emerged yesterday.

Mike Storey quit after seven and a half years, citing pressures on his family over the last few months which had been "very difficult to bear".

Mr Storey said he had "clearly broken the members' code of conduct" in relation to his email correspondence which showed that he was planning to hasten the departure of the council's chief executive who had expressed his intention to retire.